Split Second
by Skriva
Summary: What happens when Edward throws himself in front of Kristen at the last second during the police station massacre? (I loved that scene between them so I wanted to play around with it a bit from more of a tragedy angle). If reviews are favorable this could morph into a longer story :)


**Hey guys! Loving the new season of Gotham and after watching the newest episode I was thrilled by the Kristen and Edward scene 3 (this fic contains MAJOR spoilers...you have been warned!) I wanted to play around with that incident and see what would happen if events...turned more towards the worst. If reviews are favorable maybe it will be more than just a one-shot?**

Edward looked up sharply from the open drawer of the filing cabinet as the vicious roar of a shotgun shattered the quiet.

For a moment he simply stands frozen, the sickly green light overhead flickering dizzyingly as the single shotgun is joined by a deafening multitude of other gunfire.

The heavy fire escape door lies directly behind him, it's red glow becoming the only light in the archive room as the lamp above loses power.

The Maniax. His blood runs cold.

His chest seizes painfully in terror as he stands alone in the pitch dark listening to the massacre enfolding outside the archive room.

Sweat crawls chillingly between his shoulder blades as a bloodcurdling scream of laughter rises over the mayhem.

He had to go...now.

'Move you idiot! Why are you just standing there?'

Edward runs to the exit door, it's sign bathing his frightened face in a weak hellish glow.

Someone is lumbering down the hallway outside the archive room, their breathing loud and growing **rapidly** closer.

'GO!'

Edward freezes, hands on the door to safety when he remembers Kristen.

Kristen.

"We can't leave her."

He had no way of knowing if she was even alive by this point but he'd be damned if he left her in this hellhole with those psychos.

Quickly he ducks behind a row of filing cabinets as the door to the room is thrown violently open with a crash.

Edward clasps a hand hard over his mouth to stifle his panicked breathing as he screws his eyes shut and huddles low in the shadows.

"COME OUT, COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE!"

A savage voice bellows as Edward clamps his hand down harder over his trembling mouth, he was going to die.

"COMEOUTYOUSONNOFABITCH!"

He can see the madman's burly shadow in the flashing lights coming from outside in the hall.

The screams are terrible and Edward is shaking as he remains curled up on the cold floor. It is utter torture to have to listen to the brutal deaths of his fellows. Where was Jim? Was his one of those screams? There was no way to know.

A sudden blast of buckshot ricocheting off the metal filing cabinets earns an involuntary cry from Edward, his terror numbing him as the shadow advances toward his hiding position.

"I KNOW YOU'RE IN HERE! I'M GONNA EAT YOUR FLESH COPPER!"

A large man with grizzled hair and a matching beard appears above Edward, a horrifying grin widening across his blood spattered face.

'Go! Go! Go! GO!'

Edward launches himself down the aisle, slipping and sliding on the smooth floor as he dodges in and out of the stacks; finally he stumbles out into the hall.

Kristen.

He slams the door of the archive room and runs like one of the lunatics down the narrow corridor. The overpowering scent of blood filling his nose.

Each body he passes makes him want to vomit, the glassy stares of his coworkers seeming to plead with him.

Find Kristen. Find Kristen. Find Kristen. Find Kristen.

He repeats over and over in his head as a pistol volley cracks right past his cheek.

The carnage is sickening in the main area of the police station, bodies and gore everywhere. The escaped madmen were pouring lead into the living, dead and injured alike; laughter mixing with gunfire.

Then finally he sees her; standing stunned and petrified, watching the killing unfold in shock.

"Kristen!"

She doesn't move, couldn't have if she had wanted to, so completely terrified.

Then he sees one of the killers aiming a rifle squarely at her, straight between her wide eyes.

Abandoning all caution he runs wildly towards her, lowering his head like a football player about to make a game winning tackle; there was no time to think. He just acted.

Edward slams into Kristen with the force of a freight train, hearing the sharp crack of the rifle as he does; shielding the small woman with himself.

A searing pain explodes in his chest as the bullet rips through him and he and Kristen fall hard to the ground.

Kristen snaps from her stupor when the thin body collides hard with her own, knocking her from her feet. She had been frozen watching as one of the crazed Maniax aimed a rifle at her head; unable to duck, just frozen the way she had since she was very young and something frightened her.

She gasps for air after hitting the floor, held tightly in a shaking embrace.

A pair of glasses have become entangled in her own as her rescuer lies motionless on top of her, his warm cheek pressed against hers.

"Edward!"

The shy man gives her a weak smile and she becomes aware of something warm and syrupy soaking through the front of her dress.

Blood.

She wriggles out from under her savior, keeping low to the ground, "Edward!"

"Kristen Kringle."

So much blood.

She presses a hand quickly over the ugly wound in his chest, "You saved me."

Edward swallows with some difficulty, "He was going to kill...y-you."

'Duh. You still can't think of anything good to say.' The voice in his head hisses but he barley hears it as he catches sight of the look in Kristen's tear filled eyes.

"Oh Edward..."

His vision is fading as unconsciousness tugs at him, blood continuing to pour past Kristen's petit hands.

"Shhh. Stay quiet.." He murmurs placing a gentle finger against her wobbling lips, his eyes briefly straying around the bloodied lobby before coming back to hers.

One of the lenses of her glasses has been shattered and she can feel her right ankle swelling painfully from when she had twisted it falling.

Footsteps are drawing close so she lies limply back down on Edward, her face hidden in the crook of his neck. Kristen can hear his breath rattling roughly in his throat and sees his green eyes have slipped shut behind his glasses.

"Ed!?"

Her whisper is fearful as she risks siting up just enough to see his face, which has steadily drained of all color.

"Help will be here soon, don't go to sleep!" She whispers franticly, giving him a small gentle shake.

Edward makes a **small** pained noise, his hands coming to rest over the tops of hers as she continues to try to hold the blood inside of him. The odd riddle of a man.

She can hear sirens approaching but she can also still hear the voice of one of the madmen; babbling on and on, his laughter terrifying.

Edward makes another, louder pained groan, his eyes still not reopening.

Quickly Kristen presses her lips over his thin bloodless ones, "Hush!"

Edward smiles faintly into the kiss as blackness claims him and he falls unconscious.

 **More? Yes? Hell no? :)**


End file.
